A facile route to ruthenium–carbene complexes and their application in furfural hydrogenation |
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Authors: | Zea Strassberger Maurice Mooijman Eelco Ruijter Albert H. Alberts Corien de Graaff Romano V. A. Orru Gadi Rothenberg |
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Affiliation: | 1. Van 't Hoff Institute of Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;2. Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | A number of new N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands were synthesized via a multicomponent reaction, wherein an aldehyde or ketone, a primary amine and an α‐acidic isocyanide were reacted, giving the corresponding 2H‐2‐imidazolines. These were easily alkylated with an alkyl halide at position N‐3, yielding the final NHC precursors, that were then complexed with Ru in situ. The resulting complexes are shown to be active and selective catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of furfural to furfurol, using isopropanol as the hydrogen source. Importantly, the carbene ligand remains coordinated to the ruthenium center throughout the reaction. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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Keywords: | N‐heterocyclic carbenes multicomponent reaction transfer hydrogenation homogeneous catalysis |
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